


i'll keep you warm

by for_centuries



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: F/M, Gift Giving, and acting in kind, but kind of getting their shit together, discerning love languages, secret admirers (kind of), two dorks being a little awkward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22031797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_centuries/pseuds/for_centuries
Summary: Secretive gift giving! Awkward not-flirting! They're trying, I promise.Hi,ruby-red-inky-blue, it’s me, your Secret Santa! I hope you enjoy this little fic based on the prompt snow lanterns or ice lanterns!
Relationships: Cassian Andor/Jyn Erso
Comments: 5
Kudos: 78





	i'll keep you warm

Cassian Andor’s love language was acts of service. 

Not that it was all that easy to figure out, Jyn had never considered herself particularly dense, but then, he was trained well in the art of espionage and as it turned out, didn’t really mind using it against his friends. 

If one could consider what he did using it against them. Really, what he did was listen. When Bodhi sighed about the state of some of the tools he was expected to use for repairs, he found an almost brand-new set waiting for him a handful of days later. Whenever Chirrut or Baze mentioned needing anything - whether it was parts to repair a broken staff or a specific type of oil for a repeating blaster, those things eventually found themselves exactly where they needed to be. 

Jyn never really voiced her wants, preferring to take care of any mending or requisitioning supplies herself. Still, when her scarf began fraying at the edges, she found another awaiting her at breakfast. She looked at each of her friends in turn questioningly, but none confessed to providing her with the new one. Still, she thought she noticed Cassian’s gaze linger just a touch longer than usual before he focused on his food. 

She lost a small vibroblade in a scuffle on some outer rim backwater and found a shiny new one tucked into a pocket of her rucksack. When her beloved jacket riped at the seams and she discovered that it was far too delicate to patch for the hundredth time … it was only a week or so before she found another lying on her bunk, heavier and warmer than the last. 

Jyn tried to corner Cassian to ask him about the gifts, but he played dumb exceptionally well, finding excuses to hurry off and avoid her questioning. It had to be him, she thought, no one else had as many inroads with the suppliers as he did. 

Eventually, she just stopped asking. But it didn’t mean that Jyn wasn’t considering a way to repay Cassian for his thoughtfulness. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks one late night when she was on her way back from a private training session - Cassian was great with words while on missions, but not as himself! The gifts - the providing them with things they wanted or needed was his way of showing that he cared without having to say the words out loud! 

Maybe he would respond to the same kindness. She never said anything or let on to her own plans, but she observed him as surreptitiously and as closely as she could, and when she noticed a tear in his gloves … found a way to sneak a new pair into the pocket of his jacket when he left it sitting out while he helped Bodhi with repairs. Truthfully - she took a vast amount of pleasure in the way that he he glanced from face to face, an eyebrow quirked, clearly wondering who the culprit was. 

The little gifts continued to appear, much to his chagrin, and Jyn found herself making excuses to escape once his razor-sharp attention focused on her, telling him not to be ridiculous, insisting that she didn’t have the time to search out the compass that he had found (that she had searched high and low for) that had been meant to replace the one that had gotten smashed during a rough escape on his last mission. 

The give and take of presents continued for weeks until Jyn decided that she couldn’t take it anymore - she never had been the most patient person, after all, taking it upon herself to take her next gifts to him herself. Clearly, he was perplexed when he opened his quarters to her and she stepped inside, thermos in hand and bag over her shoulder. Jyn offered him no explanation as she headed directly toward his small workspace, careful as she retrieved two battered mugs from the canteen from her bag and poured a thick, creamy, steaming liquid into one and then the other, turning to face Cassian with an accomplished grin once both were full. 

“What is - ?”

“Hot chocolate”, she answered, nodding decisively. “Skywalker says it’s the best drink in the galaxy. I”m trusting him on this one.”

Cassian’s brow furrowed as he looked from the drinks to Jyn, his confusion more than evident. “Jyn, I don’t understand … “

For a man as observant as Cassian was, he certainly couldn’t see what was happening right before his eyes. Jyn laughed softly, shrugging. “You take care of us every day. I thought it was past time that someone took care of you.”

She smiled almost shyly as she dropped her gaze and reached into her bag one more time, gingerly pulling out her one last gift to give. She hadn’t anticipated the expression on Cassian’s face, the sheer surprise that he didn’t bother trying to hide away. In her hand, she held a small ice lantern, lit from within by a flickering candle. 

“I know it’s not as delicate or ornate as what you’re used to, but I wanted to give you something special, anyway”, she offered, kicking herself internally for the short ramble.

Cassian was silent for a moment as he reached out to touch wonderingly at the cold edge of the tiny offering. “How did you - ?”

“I did my research”, she answered, setting it gently down on the flat plane of his desk. “This is how you celebrate Life Day on Fest, isn’t it? These lanterns? It’s interesting, really, the way they melt and wash away the year before and welcomes the year to come. You don’t have to tell me about it if you don’t want to, I just - “

“It’s perfect”, he quickly replied, his voice hoarse, and Jyn nodded slowly, sighing as she tentatively reached out to lace their fingers together, to hopefully offer reassurance that he didn’t have to be alone anymore. 

And … offer herself the same reassurance, as well. 

“Thank you.”

Jyn might’ve shaken her head as though the gesture had been no big deal, but she wasn’t trying to downplay her offerings. She’d meant it when she said that she wanted to take care of him as well. Cassian wasn’t just a superior officer or even just a friend to her. 

He meant so much more. 

They could talk more now or later, it didn’t matter to Jyn. The most important thing was showing Cassian how important he was to them - to her - and that his efforts were not being done in vain. 

We see you, she wanted to say, and we appreciate you. What she did, though, was nod at the mugs of cocoa instead. “We should drink those before they get cold, yeah?”

And so they did, comfortable by the light of the glittering ice lantern, slowly opening up as they talked the night away, small steps taken into something unknown. 

But it didn’t feel uncertain … it felt right.


End file.
